The first of the “Dear John” letters (or substitute your own first name to make it sound cozy) are arriving from new BJ publisher Ed Moss–or to be formal–Mr. Edward R. Moss.
The crux of the message is “your retiree medical benefits were not vested for life and can be changed:” Your prescription benefits under United Health Care have been dropped. The publisher suggests you become a ward of Aetna.
The BJ, the letter indicates, is offering you a new prescription card under Aetna.
Coverage may vary, depending on when you retired, but you will pay $50 plus a month for the plan. Then after a $250 deductible, you will get generic drugs for $5, drugs on Aetna’s preferred list for $20, and “non-preferred drugs” for $40. But that’s until you reach an initial coverage limit of $2,400 and then you pay all until you reach another plateau of $3,850.
Please do not ask us to explain the technical jargon written by the publisher or Aetna. If you have questions, call 1-800-307-4830 Monday throguh Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST and listen to some elevator music.
Also you apparently you will be able to ask questions at information sessions in the John S. Knight room at the Beacon Journal at 2 p.m. Wednesdaty, January 3, or at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 4. Please call 330-996-3181 to reserve your seat.
If you have other questions, call Aaron Burr at 330-996-3184 or Karen Jones at 330-996-3183.
Remember, though, the forms you got must be returned no later than January 15.
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4 comments:
I wondered how long it would take the Canadian to get around to chopping the legs out from under us. As it turned out, not all that long. So much for keeping your promises.
Hey there Retirees... I made my appointment for 2:00 pm, Wednesday, January the 3rd. I think it would be a good idea if all newsroom retirees were there at the same time. Just a thought. Don Roese
PS .. I guess the other shoe has dropped.
Sorry, Don, I'd like to join an avalanche of retirees at the BJ, but I'll be on my way from China to New York City on Jan. 3.
By the way, I believe the prescription changes qualify as a back-door pension cut since we'll have to use thousands of dollars of our pension money to pay for the increased prescription costs.
I just finished (I think) filling my last Rx for the year.
My out of pocket expense was $350,00.
United Healthcare paid about $6500.00.
Ouch!!!! I don't care to even think about next year.
Thank you Mr. Black.
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